Bellows type stage lift for wells



p 1941', A. BOYN' i' ON 2,254,207

BELLOWS TYPE STAGE LIFT FOR WELLS Filed Nov. 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet lALE'MNDE'R BDWTON, V511 TOR ikmlboeam" ATTORNEYS.

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Sept 1941- A. BOYNTO-N BELLOWS- TYPE STAGE LIFT FOR WELLS Filed Nov. 28,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I0, ALEXANDER 50mm mvzmm QMWM. .6 f W 9 m FPatented Sept. 1941 2.254.207 BELLOWS ma s'raen Lu'r Foa wms AlexanderBoynton, San Antonio, Tex.. Application November 28, ms, serioino.242,772

' Claims. (Cl. 103-233) My invention relates to the flow or liquids fromwells by means 01' either compressedairor gas, 1

or both in combination.

It is an object oi! the invention to provide a simple, eificient,durable, and economical means for injecting compressed air or gas,either sen-- arately or in combination, into the tubing or casing of awell for the purpose of aeratingthe liquid therein, thereby acting toelongate the colthe well.

To flow a well through the casing, I employ a plurality of devices, eachhaving a pressure responsive element contacting the well liquid exterioroi the induction tube, and arranged at intervals in the induction tube,theintervals usually varying between 150, and 300 feet, considering thedepth of the well, size of casing. air or gas pressure, volume ofproduction, and other well conditions.

To flow a well through the tubing, I employ a similar pressureresponsive element contacting umn of liquid in order to cause it to flowout oi.

the well liquid in the tubing.

- My device is particularly sensitive to fluid pressure whereby theadmission of pressure fluid from the tubing to the well casing and viceversa, may be accurately and efllciently controlled.

Aiurther object of this invention is to provide a diaphragm or bellowsunit adapted to control a valve to aerate the'liquid in a well and causeit to flow out of the well, through-either the well casing or throughthe tubing, by installing such unit in a slightly different housing foreach such purpose. To provide a pressure responsive element, such as ametallic bellows, anchored at one end and the other end .free to move,with a valve attached to the free end for the purpose of admittingcompressed air or gas into an upstanding column of liquid in either thetubing or the casing 01' a well by means of a predetermined fluidpressure upon the bellows, is the primary object. The imporl tance ofthis object is emphasized by the easy adaptability of the invention toflowing a well through either the tubing or the casing by using the samepressure responsive element in slightly diflerent housings to accomplisheither of said purposes.

A further object is to supply the need for a valve controlling meansthat will positively admit pressure fluid in the right amount and at theright level to initiate well flow through either the casing orthetubing; and that will positively close after the liquid level hasbeen lowered'to the next valve, which then opens, and so on in series,as the well liquid is lowered.

The inventionfurther consists in the particular construction oi thedevice, its means of mounting in different housings, and manners ofintallation in a well, all of which will more clearly appear fromthe-drawings and specification which follow.

Fig. 1 is-a broken side view 01' a set or series or assembled devicesshown installed-in a well to flow the same through the casing. Fig. 2 isa-longitudinal view partly in section showing the device adapted to beinstalled as shown in Fig. 1 to flow the well through the cas-' ing.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3, I F18. 2; Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section on the line 4-4,

' Fig. 2.

Fig. 8. a Fig. '7 is a horizontal section on the line 1-1, v

" casing.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5, 1 Fig. 2.

Fig. on a horizontal section on the lines-l.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal view partly in section showing a. modified tomof device adapted to be installed in Fig. 1 to flow the well through theFig. 9 is a longitudinal view partly in section showing a modifiedi'ormoi'device adapted to be installed as shown in Fig. 10 to flow the wellthrough the tubing.

Fig. 10 is a broken side view of a set or series 01' assembled devicesshown installed in a wellto flow the same through the tubing.

Corresponding characters are employed throughout the drawings toindicate and refer to corresponding parts. 1

'Similar but somewhat diil'erent partsin the figures illustratingmodifications of the invention Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive (the casing flowmethod) I contemplate installing air or gas induction tub; ing 4 withina well equippedwith an outer casmg i. Said casing has a casing head 2having lateral openings as shown at 2b for discharging well liquid andat 20 for discharging gas.

The tubing 4 is threadedly joined to coupling I which rests on packingor is otherwise secured in leak prooi connection with cap 3. A seal isalso made between the casing head 2 and cap 3 by threaded engagement inthe same manner as the casing head and casing are Joined in order toconfine the path of flow from the well through the flow discharge linei0. At the lower end oi. the induction tubing I have shown funnel shapeddischarge opening 4' through-which the air or gas may enter the wellafter the well liquid has been removed to a level proximate the bottomof the induction tubing.

At intervals along the length of the induction tubing 4 I contemplateplacing housings II, each containing a device as shown in Fig. 2, andwhich serve also to threadedly connect together the adjacent sections ofthe tubing. I have shown these housings evenly spaced along the'tubing,although they may be unevenly spaced, and in fact only a very smallnumber need be employed, depending upon well conditions such as thevolume and physical property of the liquid to be discharged, depth ofthe well, air or gas pressure available, etc. v 4

Induction tubing 4 may hang from the casing head with the dischargenipple 4' anywhere-intermediate of the ground surface G and bottom 'ofthe well B or the tubing may be allowed to rest on the bottom of thewell by placing the extension 4a below nipple 4 v Case nipple II, whichmay be made of cast steel, malleable iron, bronze, or a drop forging,has a. cylindrical passage II of the same size and in line with thetubing opening in order to offer a minimum of resistance to the flow andin order that a swab or other cleaning instrument may be run through thetubing for cleaning it or for any other purposes. A bellows housing IIgformed on the outer wall of the passage, is integral with the nipple IIand has slots Ila through which slots well liquid may contact thebellows I2. A central opening through a wall Ild formed at the upper endof said bellows housing serves to guide the valve I upon its seat in thelower end of plug l8 which is threadedly connected into the case betweenexternal opening Ilb and an internal opening Ilc. Said-plug engages uponpacking I1 to hermetically close the space around said plug between saidopenings. The passage Ilia through the plug is controlled by valve I5 aswill be later explained. The sloping extensions lIe and Ila on thenipple merely provide that the device will not land or hanguponobstructions in the casing wall while it is being lowered into thewell or withdrawn therefrom.

Within the'longitudinal chamber Ilh in the bellows housing, the metallicbellows I2 has an easy working fit. The lower end of the bellows isclosed by connection I3 and is hermetically sealed by weld or solderI3a. The upper end of the bellows is closed by connection I4 welded orsoldered to the bellows at I la except for the 1ongitudinal openingthrough member l4 which opening is closed by threaded connection withvalve I5 and weld or solder I5a, thus completing the hermetical seal ofthe bellows. Such a seal is necessary in order that the bellows will beresponsive to external pressure, this being the purpose for which it isemployed. Within the bellows a guide pipe I8, preferably polished insideand outside, has an easy working fit between the interior of the bellowsand the exterior of a spring 23. The upper end of the guide pipe I8.

may be pressed over a lower extension of said to make the bellows expandwith greater force and certainty.

The interior of the bellows may be partially filled with a lubricantabove which must be left a vacuum or an air pocket of such length aswill allow the bellows to contract far enough to properly open valve I5at a predetermined external pressure upon the bellows. It will beunderstood that'the air pocket or vacuum will predetermine or assist inpredetermining the external force required to compress the bellows.Passages I9a and IS!) in plug I9 and perforations Ila in the guide pipeprovide that the lubricant may circulate as the bellows contracts andexpands in operation.

It is apparent that'the end clearance between the guide pipe I8 and theplug should be equal to, or slightly greater than the length pf thechamber or'pocket within the bellows above the lubricantin'order toprevent the guide pipe from limiting the compression of the bellowsrather than leaving this operation to the gaseous contents of saidchamber. A

Connection I3 is threaded to engage the female threads in the lower endof bellows housing IIg, thereby anchoring the bellows assembly at itslower end; so that all movement of the bellows will be transmitted tovalve l5. As the connection I3 is screwed upward, valve l5 contacts itsseat with greater force requiring greater pressure upon the bellows tounseat it, and vice versa. Plug 20 is screwed into the lower end ,of theopening in housing lIg merely to reinforce the shell thereof againstdamage while the device is being lowered into or withdrawn from a well.

Valve 5 controls line 8 which communicates with the annular spacebetween tubing 4 and easing I for purposes not related to thisinvention.

The installation and construction having been described, it will now beassumed that air or gas under 240 lbs. pressure is turned into theinduction tube 4 through valve 6. This pressure depresses the wellliquid in the induction tube to the level L and causes the same toupstand in the well casing exterior of the induction tube to the levelL. It is further assumed that the well liquid weighs 40 lbs. per sq. in.per 100 feet of height. The difference between the levels L and L' is,therefore, 600 feet (the pressure 240 lbs. divided by 40 lbs. the weightper sq. in. per 100 feet). The bellows assembly in each device isassumed to be adjusted to open valve I5 at 100 lbs. external pressure onthe bellows, and the devices are assumed to be uniformly spaced 200 feetconnection I4 to which it may be welded at I8b.

The lower end of the guide pipe has an easy working fit over a'plug I9resting at its lower tapered end within a central bore of correspondingtaper in member I3. A spring 23, installed under some compression, hasits lower seat upon the top of plug I9 and its upper seat upon the lowerend of connection I4. This spring serves apart, and it is furtherassumed that the first device R above the level L is 50 feet therefrom.The well liquid at device R acting through slot Ila contacts the bellowsand exerts 220 lbs. (240 lbs. less 20 lbs. weight of well liquid betweenthe device and level L) per sq. in. pressure upon it.

The valve in device R is, therefore, open and discharging air or gas at240 lbs. per sq. in. pressure into the upstanding colunm of liquid inthe casing. The second valve Q above level L is also open by a margin of40 lbs. over its closing force of lbs., this fact being apparent asfollows: 240 lbs. total weight per sq. in. of the upstanding column inthe casing minus 20 lbs. (the weight of the liquid between level L andthe first device R above it) and further minus 80 lbs. (The weight ofthe liquid between the first device R and the second device Q) equalslbs. The devices will generally flow the well liquid out of the wellfaster than it comes in from the higher levels such as L.

As soon as the upstanding column is lowered by 40 .-lbs., closing thevalve in device Q, the level L will be lowered 100 feet uncovering lowerdevice S which is open by 140 lbs. when uncovered (240 lbs. weight of,upstanding column minus 100' lbs. force required to open "the valve). Itis therefore apparent that the valves are uncovered in the open positionas level L is lowered and that they close from the top downward as thelevel L is lowered. Device P did not become active in the foregoingexample, because of its position above the level L. V

When the depressed liquid level L is lowered to air or gas outlet 4' thewell liquid will be aerated wholly from that level unless more than 180lbs.

- of air or gas is required to flow the-well from that level. If morethan 180 lbs. is required to flow the well from the level of 4' thevalve S will be open corresponding to the pressure used above 180 lbs.The 180 lbs. in this instance is arrived at by adding 80 lbs. (theassumed weight of the well liquid per sq. in. between the level of 4'and the valve S) to the 100 lbs. required to compress the be lows.

Regardless of the air or gas pressure used, the spacing of the devices,the weight of the well liquid, and the external force required tocompress the bellows, the valve in any device will ering the air or gaspressure will manifestly tend to accomplish the opposite result. Bytesting the operating eillciency at diiferent air or gas pressures theproper pressure for most economical operation of each well can bequicklydetermined. In making such tests it is sometimes found thatincreasing or decreasing the diameter of the passage through valve seatplug IE will improve the air or gas oil ratio. At'the same timeincreasing or decreasing the taper of the pointed upper end of the valvewill often cause the input volume be preferred.

open when the weight per sq. in. of the upstand- L ing column of liquidin the casing is greater than the force required to compress the bellowsin that device.

It will be noted that valve i5 is tapered to a point at its upper end.That portion of the valve above the seat acts as a gauge or meter toregu in proportion to the submergence of the valve. If the submergencebe great, that is if the valve is operating near-the base of theupstanding column, the upper tip end of valve it: should be at the levelof the valve seat. This is the wide open position of the valve. The nexthigher valve will be partially closed, and the next still higher valvewill be closed or nearly so, depending, of course, upon the spacing, ofthe valves, weight of well liquid, and air or gas pressure used inflowing. 1 v

A limitation in spacing is that the devices'must be in such proximity toeach other that the valve in the device next above the liquid level inthe tubing will not close before the valve next below late the input ofgas into the upstanding column the liquid level in the tubing isuncovered by the i receding liquid" as the wellpumps down. For example,if the valves are set to open at '100 lbs. ex,-

Case nipple or shell I IA and bellows housing I iAg may be cast in onepiece. vA crescent shaped passage HA! i thu provided for the pressurefluid supplied through induction tube 5, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Thechamber-Ah, slots 8 la, external cored opening lib, valve guide memberlid, valve seat plug ISA, and packing i'iA correspond to and serve thesame purpose as the similar parts bearing the same numbers withoutsubscripts in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 8 plug 20A closes upon packing 22 urged upon plug 2| topreventthe escape of compressed air or gas from the tubing 4 to the passage|6Aa which i controlled by valve it. I

It should be observed. that whether the well is to be flowed through'thecasing as in Figs; 2 and 8, or throug'h'the tubing as in Fig. 9, thebellows anchored at its lower end and free to move valve it at its upperend, is exposed to the well liquid pressure only.

The device shown in Fig. 9 (tubing flow method) is shown installed inFig. 10. It operates the same as the device shown in Figs. 2 and 8except the well liquid is discharged through the flow.

tubing IDA.

Casing head base 2A, having side openings 2a,

cap 3, and coupling I serve to provide a hermetb.

cal seal between well casing i and flow tubing loA. Anchor joint loAaserves to support part of the weight of the tubing uponbottom of well B.Intake nipple 4" affords suitable means for admitting well liquid intothe flow tubing.

ternal pressure upon the bellows the devices must be so spaced that thewell liquid between the devices will weigh less'than 100 lbs-per sq.in-.I

prefer to space the devices so that when one is wide open (justuncovered by the depressed liquid level in the tubing) the valve nextabove will be half open, while the third valve above the level L is justclosing. a

The taper of valve l5 and the resulting auto- A matic increase ofcompressed air or gas forced into the upstanding column in the casing asthe submergence increases is one of the important features of thisdevice. Another important feature which becomes apparent from theforegoing discussion is that using higher. air or gas pressure andconsequently increasing the weight of the upstanding column of liquidwill open more Air or gas is supplied to the .well casing exterior ofthe flow, tubing through pipe line A controlled by gate valve 5A, theother side of the casing head being closed by bull plug 9. My priorPatent No; 1,952,581 issued March 27, 1934 shows a similar device to theone shown in Fig. 9 except that in Fig. 9 of this application thebellows assembly is housed entirely outside of the centralpassagethrough the flow tubing, together with other changes inconstruction that are important though not basic. This device may alsobe installed in any of the other ways shown in my said valves andconsequently cause the well to flow faster, within certain limits, bydischarging more air or gas into the upstandingcolumn; whilelowcopending application. 7

In Fig. 9 case nipple B and bellows housing llBg may be cast inone'piece. Openings Ha" provide that well liquid may contact the bellowsin chamber Biz. The opening Ho" and pas sage I6Ba, through plug ISB,provide that pressurefluid can flow into the flow tubing IOA when valveI5 is opened by pressure of well. liquid exerted upon the bellows.Packing I I3 serves I the obvious purpose of preventing leakage aroundplug IBB. The plate section I Id", through which valve l5 has a'freesliding flt, guides this valve to register with its seat in the lowerend of plug ISB as is apparent. It will -be observed that the lower endof bellows housing chamber llBh is hermetically closed by packing 22compressed by plugs 20A and 2| in the same manner and for the samepurpose as the similar closure was provided in Fig. 8.

In all forms of this invention it should be observed that the valveaction is much more positive and forceful than the action of theordinary valve generally used for such'purposes which is nearly alwaysopened or closed by the differential of pressures prevailing at thelevelwhere the valve is installed. Such valves have the same area exposed tothe pressures exterior and interior of the tubing and consequently maybe said to be geared 1 to 1. With my valve, however, the cross sectionalarea of the bellows as compared with the similar area of the valve whereit seats determines the forces with which the valve seats. If this areaof the bellows is 20 times the area of the valve, a difference of lbs.pressure on the bellows will transmit a force of 200 lbs. per sq. in. tothe valve. The ordinary differential valve is, as stated, seated by 1lb. at 1 lb. diiferential; whereas my valve, with the areas assumed,will seat by 20 lbs. My valve with the assumed areas is, therefore,always open or closed by 20 times the force opening or closing adifferential type of valve, a difference which makes the latter valveuncertain in action and the former valve accurate and positive inaction.

It is understood that the details of construction and arrangement ofparts are subject to many obvious variations and minor changes withoutdeparting from the scope and purpose of my invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A stage lift device for wells including a casing, a tubing in saidcasing, a housing secured outside said tubing and open for entrancethereto of liquid from the well outside said tubing, a passage for gasfrom the inside of said tubing to the casing, a valve, tapered at itsfree end to engage within said passage to close the same, a flexible,bellows member in said housing connected with said valve, means on saidvalve to seal one end of said member, a support in said housing sealingthe other end of said member, a guide tube secured to said valve andslidable in said housing, a spring in said tube to assist said bellowsin holding said valve seated, liquid means in said bellows member toresist collapse thereof, said member being adapted to be contracted byliquid pressure in said casing to gradually unseat said valve and allowpassage of gas from said tube to said casing.

2. In a well flowing apparatus, a well casing, a tubing supportedtherein, a plurality of spaced stage lift devices on said tubing, eachincluding a housing on said tubing having openings therein for thepassage of gas to the outside of said and said spring, said bellowsmember being compressible responsive to fluid pressure in said casing togradually compress said spring and open said valve and permit passage ofgas from said tube to said casing.

3. In a stage lift device for wells, an induction tube, a housingthereon sealed from fluid connection with the interior thereof buthaving openings to the outside of said tubing, a guide plate at theupper end of said housing, a fluid passage from the exterior to theinterior of said tube above said guide plate, a valve slidable throughsaid guide plate and seating in said passage, said valve taperingupwardly, means to hold said valve normally seated including a bellowsmember in said housing, a support for said bellows in said housing, anupper recess in said support, a tapered plug fitting within the recessin said support, a spring between said valve and said plug, and a tubebetween said spring and said bellows member.

4. A: flow device for wells comprising an assembly including a nipple, ashell attached thereto and having openings communicating with theexterior of the nipple, a pressure responsive element within and havingone end thereof attached I to said shell, a valve upon the other end ofsaid element adapted to control the flow of pressure fluid between oneof said openings and the interior of the nipple,.a body of lubricantpartially filling said element, a guide pipe within the element, aspring within said guide pipe, there being end clearance between saidguide pipe and an opposed end member of the assembly, said end clearancebeing less than the length of the chamber within the element above saidlubricant so that the action of the gaseous fluid within the elementdetermines the compression of the element, the cross-sectional area ofsaid element being greater than the crosssection of the valve.

5. A flow device for wells comprising in combination a well casing, aninduction tube therein for pressure fluid, a seal between said casingand said tube proximate their upper ends, an annular eduction passagefor well liquid between said casing and tube, a plurality of spacednipples in said induction tube, each of said nipples having a shellattached thereto, there being openings in said shell, said openingscommunicating with said annular passage, a hermetically sealed pressureresponsive element in said shell, upper and lower end connections onsaid element, means for adjust-ably securing said lower end connectionwithin said shell proximate the lower end thereof, a plate across theupper end of said shell, an

' opening in said plate, said opening being axial tubing, a passagethrough said tubing above said housing, an upwardly tapered valveengaging in I seated, a guide tube between said bellows member of saidshell, a lateral protrusion on said nipple above said shell, atransverse openingrbetween said plate and said protrusion, said openinghaving communication with said annular space, a transverse opening insaid protrusion, said last opening having communication with theinterior of said nipple, a valve seat member in said protrusion betweensaid transverse openings, a passage through said valve seat member axialthereof, a valve seat surrounding the lower extremity of said passage,and a valve upon the upper end connection of said pressure responsiveelement, said valve normally engaging said seat, said valve and theupper portion of said upper end connection being slidable through theopening in said plate.

ALEXANDER BOYN'I'ON.

